Simplified roll tape dispensing knife



April 16, 1968 imw. MALLORY SIMPLIF IED ROLL TAPE DISPENSING KNIFE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1966 INVENTOR.

R. W. MALLORY April 16, 1968 SIMPLIFIED ROLL TAFE DIS PENSING KN 2 Sheets-Sheet :1

Filed April 20, 1966 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,378,184 SIMPLIFIED ROLL TAPE DISPENSING KNIFE Russell W. Mallory, 502 Brookside BlvtL, Richmond, Va. 23227 Filed Apr. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 545,222 4 Claims. (Cl. 225-66) My invention relates to an improved simplified roll tape dispensing knife in which a cutting edge knife blade operates in conjunction with a tape holder.

The objects of my invention are: firstto provide a cutting edge to shear any roll adhesive tape, either pressure sensitive or moisture sensitive after the tape has been reeled off; secondto afford facilities for the proper adjustment of the knife in relation to the tape as diameter of the roll decreases when the tape is paid off; and third to provide and maintain a leading edge by which to grasp the tape to pull it from the roll.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a vertical side elevation of the entire hand dispenser composed of a tape holder and knife. FIGURE 2 is a vertical front elevation of the entire dispenser. FIGURE 3 is a detailed plan view of the knife blade. FIGURE 4 is a detailed perspective view showing the assembly and the operational use of the roll tape dispensing knife. FIGURE 5 is an alternate design of the tape holder showing a trigger grip plate. FIGURE 6 is an alternate design of the tape holder showing a serrated or knurled grip plate.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The handle or grip plate 1, its U-shape horns and/or yoke 2, being an integral part of the handle 1, constitute the tape holder 3 of the dispenser. Yoking over the horns 2, the keeper plate or knife blade plate 4, hereinafter referred to as the knife blade, locks in any desired position.

The knife blade 4, which is adjustable up or down from the horns 2 of the tape holder 3, is provided with: a leading cutting edge 5 which may be, but not limited to, a serrated edge or a plain knife edge, but preferably a serrated edge to shear the tape; a heel edge 6, which may be, but not limited to, a curved or straight, serrated or rounded, or a plain knife edge, but preferably a curved plain knife edge (see FIGURE 3) to start a leading tab by which to pull the tape off of the roll; a knurled thumb pad 7 which is used to pull the tape holder around the tape roll; two slots 8 which yoke over horns 2. The outer edge 9 of each slot is shaped to form a single detent tooth 10 which mates with a series of detent teeth 11, and/or grooves 12 on the horns 2 of the aforementioned tape holder 3 (see FIGURE 2).

The top surface 13 of the grip plate 1, previously referred to and shown in FIGURE 1, shall be curved to provide a seat for the inside of the roll tape core 14.

The tape holder 3 and grip plate 1, previously referred to and shown in perspective in FIGURE 4, FIGURE 5, and FIGURE 6, may have, but not be limited to: a pistol grip 15. (see FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 4); or a trigger grip 16. (see FIGURE 5); or a knurled grip 17 (see FIG- URE 6).

The roll tape dispensing knife (see FIGURE 4) may be made of, but not limited to; injection mold plastic, cast metal, or formed metal sheet strip.

The assembling and operational use may be as follows:

The roll tape 18 is seated between the horns 2 of the tape holder 3 and the keeper knife blade 4 is pushed down until it becomes snug against and tangential to the peiiphery 19 of the roll tape 18 (see FIGURE 1 and FIG- URE 4).

The dispensing knife assembly is grasped by placing the thumb 20 of either hand 21 upon the thumb pad 7 of the knife blade 4 and the fingers 22 are wrapped of the 3,378,184 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 same hand under and around the tape holder 3 and grip plate 1 (see FIGURE 4).

With a slight downward pressure of the thumb 20 thereby pressing the heel edge 6 down upon the periphery 19 of the tape roll 18, the heel edge 6 digs in as the troll tape 18 is rotated within the tape holder 3 with the other hand 23 and as the heel edge 6 meets the tape end 24 a leading tape tab 25 is peeled up. 7

As knife blade 4 passes over the leading tape tab 25, the tab 25 may be grasped by the thumb 26 and index finger 27 of the other hand 23 and the desired length of tape can be reeled off.

With a quick upward motion of the hand 23, the tape may be sheared off, thereby leaving a leading tab 25 (see FIGURE 1), which may be grasped the next time a length, either a fraction of an inch or several feet, is desired.

The roll tape dispensing knife may be disassembled by pressing together the horns 2 of the tape holder 3 and lifting off the keeper plate knife blade 4. Then the roll tape empty core 14 may be removed and replaced with a fresh roll of tape.

I am aware that prior to my invention tape dispensers have been made with cutting blades and/ or serrated edges operating in conjunction with, or as an integral part of, tape holders. I, therefore, do not claim such a combination broadly; but, I claim:

1. A tape dispensing device for use on a roll of tape comprising: a grip plate adapted to engage the interior periphery of the core of a roll of tape, two narrow vertical parallel side members integral with and extending from said grip plate on each side of said roll, and which project out toward and a short way past the outer periphery of said roll and which have a series of lateral parallel grooves extendingthe entire width and covering the entire height of a vertical face of each of said vertical side members, a flat knife blade plate having two narrow rectangular parallel openings located near the side edges of said flat knife blade plate with each of said rectangular openings having one inner edge shaped to form a single wedge-shaped tooth, and with each of said rectangular openings being sized to receive said vertical side members of said tape holder, and with said wedgeshaped tooth engaging and mating with the said lateral parallel grooves on the said face of the said side members of the said tape holder.

2. The tape dispenser comprising a tape holder and a flat knife blade plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said knife blade plate will retain. the said roll tape within the said tape holder; and the said knife blade plate will be vertically adjustable up or down upon the said side members of the said tape holder and locking in any desired position by the said wedge-shaped teeth of the said rectangular parallel openings within the said knife blade plate which has received the said parallel side members of the said tape holder after the said roll tape has been seated upon the said grip plate by engaging and mating with the said suitable lateral parallel grooves on the said face of the said side members of the said tape holder; and wherein the said knife blade plate is preferably pushed down upon the said outer periphery of the said roll tape until the said knife blade plate becomes snug against and tangential to the said outer periphery of the said roll tape.

3. The tape dispenser comprising a tape holder and .a fiat knife blade plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said knife blade plate has a combination of a leading serrated cutting edge provided for shearing the said tape, a heel edge provided for starting a leading tape tab which can be grasped and the desired length of said tape can be reeled off, a raised knurled thumb pad which is used to pull the said tape holder around the said seated roll tape, and two narrow parallel rectangular openings near the said outer side edges of the said knife blade plate to receive the said parallel side members of the said tape holder; and wherein the said knife blade plate will be maintained snug against and tangential to the said outer periphery of the said roll tape and as the said tape is sheared a leading tape tab is maintained and left upstanding due to the stress created within the said tape by the said knife blade plate being maintained snug against the tangential to the said outer periphery of the said roll tape and the said cutting edge being extended out away from and in the said tangential plane parallel to the said outer perpihery of the said roll tape.

4. The roll tape dispensing knife portable hand unit comprising a tape holder and a flat knife blade plate as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said unit can be manufactured in several sizes with the said tape holder having a grip plate upon which is seated the inner peripheral surface of a roll tape core with the said vertical parallel side members extending from the said grip plate out toward and past the outer periphery of the said roll tape, and whereas the said tape holder can be manufactured to have the Width of the said grip plate and the spacing apart of the said parallel side members to suit a particular tape width for a particular unit size, and wherein the height of the said side members can be manufactured to suit a particular type quantity for a particular unit size with the said flat knife blade plate manufactured to receive the said particular tape holder and adjustable down upon the said roll tape until it becomes snug against and tangential to the said outer periphery of the said roll tape and locking in position readying the said dispensing knife unit for the operation of dispensing and applying any desired length of tape and wherein the said knife blade plate can be manufactured to permit the application of a slight downward pressure upon the said thumb pad causing the said heel edge of the said knife blade plate to dig in and peel up a leading tape tab from the said outer periphery of the said seated roll tape as the said roll tape is rotated within the said tape holder and allow the said leading tape tab to be grasped as the said knife blade plate passes over it and thereby allowing the desired length of said tape to be reeled off and also allowing the said tape to be sheared as the said tape meets the said serrated cutting edge of the said knife blade plate with a quick upward tug upon the said tape thereby again leaving a leading tape tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,262,260 11/1941 Smith 22556 2,401,286 5/1946 Wright 22556 X 2,727,572 12/1955 Di Carlo 2'25--65 2,777,594 1/1957 Krueger 22566 X 3,134,526 5/1964 Schleicher 22556 3,138,310 6/1964 Blodee 22566 X JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Exmaner. 

1. A TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE FOR USE ON A ROLL OF TAPE COMPRISING: A GRIP PLATE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE INTERIOR PERIPHERY OF THE CORE OF A ROLL OF TAPE, TWO NARROW VERTICAL PARALLEL SIDE MEMBERS INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING FROM SAID GRIP PLATE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID ROLL, AND WHICH PROJECT OUT TOWARD AND A SHORT WAY PAST THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID ROLL AND WHICH HAVE A SERIES OF LATERAL PARALLEL GROOVES EXTENDING THE ENTIRE WIDTH AND COVERING THE ENTIRE HEIGHT OF A VERTICAL FACE OF EACH OF SAID VERTICAL SIDE MEMBERS, A FLAT KNIFE BLADE PLATE HAVING TWO NARROW RECTANGULAR PARALLEL OPENINGS LOCATED NEAR THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID FLAT KNIFE BLADE PLATE WITH EACH OF SAID RECTANGULAR OPENINGS HAVING ONE INNER EDGE SHAPED TO FORM A SINGLE WEDGE-SHAPED TOOTH, AND WITH EACH OF SAID RECTANGULAR OPENINGS BEING SIZED TO RECEIVE SAID VERTICAL SIDE MEMBERS OF SAID TAPE HOLDER, AND WITH SAID WEDGESHAPED TOOTH ENGAGING AND MATING WITH THE SAID LATERAL PARALLEL GROOVES ON THE SAID FACE OF THE SAID SIDE MEMBERS OF THE SAID TAPE HOLDER. 